Who is getting ready for Christmas?! / Gift ideas! :D

It's that season! Even without the gifts, this is probably my favorite holiday, though I do love Halloween.
I was walking around the store the other day, and had an explosion of giddiness come over me when I saw the fully-stocked Christmas isle. I realized that it is mid-November and it's right around the corner! On top of that, the first snow of the season (for my area) fell this past weekend! Time to start decorating! So. Excited. I even want to decorate my coop!
My family is forgoing the expensive gifts this year because none of us have the funds to buy big things. We're pretty much just buying for the kids, but I think I'll get my parents and sister something little anyway. Other than that, I have a 6 year old boy (my cousin) to buy for
I'm not sure what do get my cousin, I was going to give him a couple of chicks (he loves my chickens) but I don't think his mom will allow that.
He already has so many toys, I don't want to just add to the pile of junk! haha
So what are you doing for Christmas this year (or whichever holiday you celebrate)?
What's your favorite part of the holiday season?
What do you plan on getting each other (if you want to share)?
What are some of your family traditions surrounding the holiday?

My family has this weird tradition of always eating fried oysters for breakfast on Christmas morning, for one!

Well, my family also doesn't have a lot of cash right now, so the presents will not be big this year either For school, i have to make my family and my best friends each a gift.

My favorite part is most likely eating junk food

We actually celebrate Hanukkah, which is Jewish, though we are not Jewish. It is an 8 day feast where we eat good food and give gifts. If they are small, we get one each day, and only one big one if its big

On Christmas day, we open gifts from the grandparents, open our stockings, and eat pizza and soda, cause we don't want to cook

We are a very weird family.

Fried oysters! never had that...are they good? What started that tradition?

cityfarmer12 said:

Well, my family also doesn't have a lot of cash right now, so the presents will not be big this year either For school, i have to make my family and my best friends each a gift.

My favorite part is most likely eating junk food

We actually celebrate Hanukkah, which is Jewish, though we are not Jewish. It is an 8 day feast where we eat good food and give gifts. If they are small, we get one each day, and only one big one if its big

On Christmas day, we open gifts from the grandparents, open our stockings, and eat pizza and soda, cause we don't want to cook

We are a very weird family.

Fried oysters! never had that...are they good? What started that tradition?

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I'm not sure where the fried oyster tradition started. My great-grandmother did it, after being taught by her mother. It's been going on for generations. I live in WV, the heart of the Appalachian mountains, where my family has been for a long time. It may have to do with the fact that it is a secluded area, so was seafood is expensive and rarely imported, therefore only available on special days, like Christmas. During the 1930's, most people in this area relied on their gardens, personal chickens/small livestock, and hunting to meet their needs, so oysters would be a very rare treat. I assume that's how it started but I'm not 100% sure. lol

lol that quite a story I bet its really pretty where you live

cityfarmer12 said:

lol that quite a story I bet its really pretty where you live

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That it is.

I took that pic last month. I think I'll drag my boyfriend back up there to get a pic of the woods covered in snow ^_^
We're pretty close-knit around here. The "town" I live in doesn't really have more than 250 people, if that.
Oh and I forgot to answer lol, I think the oysters are delicious. They have a really strong seafood flavor, and being fried, they are greasy as heck lol

wow...that pretty! I wish i could live in the country, but my parents like the city, so i guess i'm stuff farming my 2 city acres until i move out
That would be cool to know everyone. I bet its a great little community
lol...i want to try some

LOL I found this at family dollar. I think it is suppose to be a nativity scene.

Wow...that is just wrong. Lol. you can barely tell what it is.

torilovessmiles said:

That it is.

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That's very beautiful. While I love the city and would never leave it, I think there are some really beautiful landscapes to be found outside the built-up world My family doesn't celebrate Christmas, but I have one friend who I exchange presents with every year (we live on opposite sides of the world, so it's cool to send each other snail mail from time to time, to make up for never seeing each other ) Sometimes I get a present from other people but not very often. Christmas isn't a big thing for us and never has been, but I never felt like I missed out. There's still the atmosphere in the city with hoardes of people out on the 23rd and 24th, doing their last minute shopping, and in recent years the council's started putting up street decorations. For the first time ever I have a wish list, but I figure I can get that stuff any time of the year, it doesn't have to be at Christmas. It will definitely be less expensive early next year. I feel I probably will buy myself a calendar though, it's the cheapest and most functional item on my list. The oyster tradition sounds interesting.